Short post again

Okay. No long post today. Writing all these words is taking all my time. Notice that we're a little over 29,000 at present. Not halfway yet, but getting there. Tomorrow I hope for another 1,000 words. Then I'll officially be just 4,000 words behind where I wanted to be at the end of February. Not bad for losing three weeks in January due to illness. So I'll have March and April to write 38,500 words. It will require commitment, but it's very doable, particularly if I get a few productive weekends. Anyway, what with errands and appointments and writing, that's what I did today. And probably what I'll do tomorrow. Take care. Night!

In brief

I've been writing like a madman on Murder by the Acre, so I haven't had any time to blog. I added a thousand words yesterday and another thousand today. I intend to write 1,500 keeper tomorrow. Anyway, I'm off tomorrow afternoon so I'll try to give you a nice long update then. Have a good night!

Looking up at the sky

      We haven't had any pictures of the sky lately. So here are some photos of the sky today.

Slow slow slow Saturday

      I have felt bad all day today. As a result, I haven't done much. A few errands, a bit of housework, a lot of sleeping. In fact, I want to go to sleep right now. Sigh. You can know I'm tired because Godzilla is on TV, and instead of watching it, I'm going to bed. I'm hoping a good night's sleep will help me get over this minor malady.
      Hey, that's cool. Spellcheck is working again. Anyway, I hope you had a good day and hope tomorrow will be better. Good night!

MBDD comes through

      Tuesday, I received a very nice surprise in the mail. As most of you know, I've spent the past several weeks ill. As a result, I haven't promoted Murder by Dewey Decimal any. In fact, I had sort of given up on selling any more of MBDD since Christmas was over. I thought I might sell more when Murder by the Acre comes out. Anyway, I received a small check in the mail from Lulu. With no promoting by me, without me hovering or worry, MBDD has continued to sell on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Buy.com and other online retailers. I was surprised and pleased. My little book is still selling. How about that?
      Anyway, I hope things are going well for you. I'm working the January family newsletter and should have it out this weekend. I should also finish my last audio critique of Jean's techno-thriller Twilight. And of course, I need a couple more thousand words for Murder by the Acre. And housework, laundry, paying bills, errands, etc. The usual.
      I think I’ll close now and get to bed a bit early. Take care and have a good tomorrow. Night!

Turn up the volume

This song fits my mood lately. And I like the video for some reason. Wonder what it could be.

Another 1,000

      I got another 1,000 words on Murder by the Acre today. Kinda wore out my writing muscles so I'm going to close now. Here's a brief video of my new robot. It dances on the table and then falls off. A lot like what humans do when they dance on tables. Night.

18,000

      It looks like I'm going to lose another 18,000 words from the old version of Murder by the Acre. Excuse me while I indulge in a bit of violent heaving. Remember when I said my murderer killed someone I wasn't expecting. Well, that someone -- surprise, surprise, surprise -- was all over the middle third of the old version of the book. When that person wasn't talking, people were talking about him/her. Sigh. So I thought, "Okay, I don't want to lose 18,000 words so I'll just un-kill the victim. I'll lose about 1,000 words that way, but not nearly a third of the old book."
      Problem solved. Right? RIGHT? No. The new version with that person dead is better than the old version. Much better, curse it all. It makes perfect sense that the murderer would eliminate that person. In fact, it was a flaw in the old version that the murderer never killed that person. Once my subconscious –- oh evil subconscious -- finally brought that to my attention, I realized that I couldn’t un-kill the victim. It’s a better story with that murder.
      So what does that mean? What? Well, it means that I’m just lazy and I just going to have to adjust to the fact that I’m going to have to rewrite most of the rest of the book, too. Whee. I can’t really express my despair at this other than with explosives.
      Okay. Fine. I can do that. Nothing worthwhile is easy. And the book can still come out in June, only a month later than my revised plan, without me killing myself to get it written. Or rewritten as the case may be. And I still may be able to use about 10,000 words from the old version so not all is lost.
      I’m okay with this. Really I am. Other than bouts of fury and sobbing, I’m fine. Oh, and the drinking. And the lovely fires I’m setting to relieve stress. But the word for me is fine. Let’s say it together: Fine. Fine. FINE!
      Otherwise, I’m fine. And the words are coming. We have over 25,000 keepers now. The goal is 500 words a day now. Two pages a day. Two keeper pages. I have a mad desire to laugh madly at this point.
      Oh, hey, I got a new robot. Yes, I did. I’ll try to post a video of it tomorrow. Something for you to look forward to. I’m always thinking of you, you know. You and you and you, but not you. I’m mad at you, you hussy. But you and you and you and you, too. All the rest of you, too.
      Have a great day tomorrow. And if tomorrow doesn’t come through for you, I want you to stand up proudly, reach out a hand, and grab tomorrow’s throat and choke the living crap out of it. Because we’re not going to have bad days anymore. And if we do, a lot of people are going to, too. I trust you understand where I’m coming from. I’m in the house with you. I’m right behind you. Can't you feel my breath on your neck?
      Night!

Saturday Evening

       Well, I got a lot done on the house -- not finished, of course -- but I struggled with Murder by the Acre. I can't seem to get in the flow. The story is there, I can see in my head, but getting onto paper -- or on the computer screen -- is like swimming upstream. Against a strong current. While pulling a boat. Sigh. It will come. I have faith. I've had this happen before, and if you keep writing -- and the story is there in the first place, and I think it is -- eventually the writing will flow again.
       Hey, is anyone else having trouble with spell check on Blogger? Mine hasn't worked for a couple of weeks now. I thought it was a Blogger bug, but if no one else is experiencing this, then it's my system. Let me know.
       By the way, I posted earlier today in case you're one of those people who only read the top post. And you know who you are.
       Frenzied Feline, Michelle and Kent did the Book 123 Meme that I tagged them with. (Kent answered his in the comments on the meme.) We're still waiting on Trixie and Jean.
      It rained most of the day here. And it was cold, but not cold enough to turn to ice. And that's the weather report today. I'm going to close now. Have a great tomorrow. Night!

Saturday Morn

      I'm spending today on Murder by the Acre and cleaning house. That's it. My kitchen is just about clean, then I'm going to start on the living room. When I break from cleaning house, I'm working on MBTA.
      It's wet and cold here. I'm tired of winter. Very tired of winter. Well, wait long enough, and summer will get here. It's raining right now. We need the rain so no complaining on that account.
      I'm amazed how cluttered my house has become over the past few days. It's going to take all day and then some to get it uncluttered. But it's productive. I'm determined to get my house -- and my life -- in order. Or at least in enough order that it doesn't interfere with what needs to be done.
      Now back to work. I'll be back later, I think. Have a great day.

Book meme 123

       Kirsten tagged me for a meme a couple of days ago, and I keep forgetting to post my answers. Here it is.

BOOK MEME 123

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)

       Your Own Worst Enemy by Kenneth W. Christian. The book is about adult underachievement and how to overcome it in our lives. I have found it to helpful in restarting my creative energies as well as dealing with some negative attitudes I have.

Find Page 123.

       Done. Well, that was easy. No, wait there's more.

Find the first 5 sentences.

       Also done, but I see there's still more to do.

Post the next 3 sentences.

       "In the contemplation stage you acknowledge that you have a problem and begin to consider what it is and whether you can change it. During contemplation you would still prefer not to have to change but begin to weigh the trade-offs of standing pat versus acting. You may alternate frequently between waiting to take action and resisting it, question your ability to change, and feel moody and irritable."

Tag 5 people.

       Let's see. Who will be tormented? I tag Trixie, Frenzied Feline, Michelle, Jean and Kent. Those without a blog may answer in the comments on this post. And remember this is Kristen's fault.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Wednesdaying again

      Have you noticed the word total for Murder by the Acre is increasing? Yes, slowly it's going up. I am determined that the word count will increase each day, even if it's only by a few words. The story is waking back up again. And this evening my murderer killed someone that I wasn't expecting to die. The murder surprised me greatly, but it makes sense that the murderer would kill that victim. I'm beginning to think my murderer may be a little crazy. Not the voices-in-my-head crazy, but other-people's-lives-mean-nothing crazy. Kinda like how a fifth-grade gym teacher views the world.
      I also updated the scrollies and the favorite quote. Did you notice? I posted a nude picture of me several entries back. Ha! Made you look. I also added some more links to the Science & Technology links. All were recommended in Don’t Know Much About The Universe by Kenneth C. Davis. The book is bit dated, but still has good info about cosmology.
      I’m still not healthy, dang it. I’m tired of being sick and tired. But I think I’m still improving, just not at the rate I want. Sigh. Besides taking vitamins, getting rest, staying hydrated, eating right … What else can you do to stay healthy? I read once that yak milk is good for you. Anyone have any yaks?
      How are you doing? Anything interesting going on in your world? I basically am going to work, coming home, typing a bit, and going to bed. Yeah, I’m living the wild life. Makes my head whirl.
      Well, I think it’s time for bed. I’m going to try to be posting more regularly. At least let you know that I’m still out here, still typing, still hoping, still dreaming, still being me. Have a great day tomorrow. Night!

Sundaying

      Sorry to be gone. I’m still not up to my usual energy levels, but I’m doing better. I’ve been spending a lot of time working on a critique for a friend of mine. I was honored that Jean asked me to be first reader for her techno-thriller Twilight. I have a few quibbles that I’m going to share with her, but I think Jean has a good book there, and I’m looking forward to seeing it on the shelves someday soon.
      Today for lunch, I made a pot roast, skinny mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and a lettuce and tomato salad. It was really good. I don’t cook much these days. I got out of the habit of cooking and have been buying too much fast food. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to try to cook more. Home cooked food is usually healthier, costs less, and tastes better.
      I’m still having trouble with Murder by the Acre. Nothing I can’t work through, but it’s hard going at present. I have to keep working on it. I wanted to finish and publish it before summer rolls around. I’d like to spend my summer working on finishing Darkness, Oklahoma and Dragons Gather. Both are clamoring for attention. In between there, I’d like to publish Floozy & Other Stories. (DO and DG are both meant for regular publishers. At least, I want to try them there first. FOS is going to be self-published again.) And then I intend to write Murder by the Mile. Big plans, eh? We’ll see how it goes.
      I purchased a new video camera Saturday. I’ve been playing with it. I like it so far, but the battery life doesn’t seem to be very long. It takes a special battery so I’m going to look around to find an extra one. Surely someone sells one. Naturally, Walmart, where I purchased the camera, doesn’t.
      Well, I’m going to call it a night now. You have a great night and a wonderful tomorrow. Night!

Wednesdaying

      Wow. This meme really got around. Michelle, Jean, Frenzied Feline, Trixie, Erudite Redneck, and Jaime all answered the questions on their blogs. The only one who didn't answer them on his blog was Adam, who sent it to me as an email in the first place.
      Super Tuesday is over, of course. Who did you vote for? Looks like oldster McCain will be the Republican candidate unless holier Hucky can pull an upset. On the Demo side, it's anyone's guess. Votes will have to decide if they like Hillary's vague plans or Obama's empty slogans. Should be interesting in a stomach churning way.
      Last night I ran a mild fever and had a bout of nausea. Very annoying. I'm ready to be healthy again. I want my zip back. Need it back to complete all I have planned. I'd like to have several accomplishments to look back at when 2009. Which is only 11 months away. Yikes.
      I will pay off a small credit card next month. Then I will be left only with one credit card and my second and first mortgage. Oh, and the loan on the new bed I purchased. The loan on the bed should be paid off by August. The remaining credit card should be paid off in November. Then I'll start on my second mortgage and should have it done by November of 2009. Then the first mortgage by the end of 2010. At least that's the plan. We'll see how it works out. Money sure is annoying - well, not having money is annoying. I haven't tried it the other way.
      Holly Lisle is attempting to start her own publishing company. The planning of it makes my head hurt, particularly as I read the many conflicting comments. I think starting a business in these days is almost the ultimate in courage. Of course, she's known for being brave and paying forward. If anyone deserves success in the publishing world, she does. If you'd like to read her current plan, go here and see what you think. Does it sound interesting to you? Would you subscribe to it? Does serial fiction still have a place in the publishing world?
      I'm reading a very interesting book, Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement by Kenneth W. Christian. It's about how we fall into the trap of choosing a lesser life than what we're capable of. It also gives a plan for revitalizing our goals. I've found several of my bad habits in the book. I think there's a lot of wisdom in the book, and I'm hoping to use it to make some significant positive changes in my life.
      I was just thinking about my bed loan again. I could actually pay it off in April by pushing the payoff of my credit card back until December. I think I'll do that, and then by May, I'll only have the big credit card, second mortgage, and first mortgage left. I want to be out of debt.
      Well, it's late or it feels that way to me so I'm going to close. I hope you have a good night and a great day tomorrow. Take care.

Monday morning again

      Well, the Patriots lost the Super Bowl. But they played hard and the game was close so I'm not terribly disappointed. My favorite commercial was the one for Coke where the huge balloon characters battled it out for the bottle and Charlie Brown won. The funniest one was where Justin Timberlake got beat up for Pepsi Stuff. His repeated encounters with the mailbox post made me laugh out loud.
      I've been trying to restart Murder by the Acre. These weeks of sickness have really taken the wind out of my writing sails. I've got to get immersed in the story and characters again. I'm hoping I won't have any more delays this time. It's hard to get back into it after being gone so long.
      During all the recent nonstop coughing, hurricane-like sneezing, and projectile vomiting, I pulled a muscle on the right side of my chest. It's really quite painful, particularly when I raise or move my right arm. Been using a heating pad, Advil, and deep-heating rub. That helps, but I'll be glad when it's healed.
      Speaking of being ill, while I was at one of my doctor's visits, he prescribed a drug to settle my stomach. It's available as a pill or a topical rub. "Or, if you prefer, you can have it in a suppository," the doctor said. If I prefer? Are there actually people who say, "Yeah, man, I want a suppository! Wahoo!" I did fine with the rub and the pills, thank you very much.
      That was at my first visit to the doctor during my illness when I still had some spunk left in me. By the second visit, I was past caring. They took blood, gave me shots, poked swabs down my throat, collected other body fluids, thumped my chest, recorded my vital signs -- twice, etc., in an hour-long parade of medical procedures. I didn't ask any questions. For all I know, they were training new nurses on me. That would explain why one of the nurses told me that I wasn't pregnant after I peed on that stick.
      Otherwise, not much to tell you. I mentioned my get-up-and-go had got up and went some time ago. I got a postcard from it Saturday. Apparently it's left the country and is now living in Paris. I'm hoping it will return soon. Time to get ready for work. Talk to you later. Have a great day.

Super Bowl 42

      It's half time, and my team -- well, actually the team I'm cheering for since it's not like I'm on the team or own any of it -- is ahead. Yes, I'm rooting for the New England Patriots. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers just performed. Age has slowed them down some, but they still sounded good. The commercials don't seem to be as good as in the past. As always, the beer commercials are the best. I guess they spend the most money on them.
      Game is back on, but I'm going to finish this post before I return my attention to the action. I didn't do much this weekend. Napped, laundry, housework, MBTA, and worked on a critique of a novel for a friend of mine. I went out to eat with some friends of mine on Saturday night, and I had a good time visiting with Nancy, Nick, Kyra, TL, Melissa and Eric at Applebys. That was the first time I've been out since I got sick.
      I'm still not completely healthy. Have a lingering cough. And lack energy in a major way. I'm hoping that improves over the next few days. But I am much better than I was so I'm getting there.
      I'm going back to the game now. Hope things are going well for you. Have a great week! Night.

An email meme

Adam Huckeby sent this email meme to me this evening, and since I've done NOTHING except work and come home and nap and then sleep, I thought I'd share it with you. Please feel free to use it on your blog, too.

1. What is your occupation? I'm the office manager of a small insurance agency.
2. What color are your socks right now? White.
3. What are you listening to right now? The Tonight Show.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Toast and orange juice.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes, but I don't enjoy it.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Striped.
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My sister.
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes.
9. How old are you today? 12 with occasional bouts of 15.
10. Favorite drink? Water or root beer or Sunkist.
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football.
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes. Frequently.
13. Pets? Fish.
14. Favorite food? Hmm. Tacos. Or maybe roasted turkey breast with brown gravy.
15. Last movie you watched? Die Hard 4.
16. Favorite Day of the year? Christmas or whatever day around then that my family gathers.
17. What do you do to vent anger? Kill people and eat their livers. Just kidding. Mostly.
18. What was your favorite toy as a child? Microscope and BB gun.
19. What is your favorite season? Summer. SUMMER!
20. Hugs or kisses? It depends on who it is that is attempting to hug or kiss me. And depending on the person, I like both.
21. Cherry or Blueberry? Cherry.
22. When was the last time you cried? When my uncle passed away.
23. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes and some storage boxes.
24. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Crystal, I think. We've known each other since the fifth grade.
25. Favorite smells? A grilling steak and apple pie.
26. Who inspires you? People who pursue their dreams. But not those dreams about being naked in public.
27. What are you afraid of? I don't like spiders.
28. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? I rarely eat hamburgers, but when I do, they're plain.
29. Favorite car? Hybrids or electrics. I don't have either, but I'd like to.
30. Favorite cat breed? Uh, well, white ones, I guess. And they have to be alive. I don't like dead cats despite what my neighbors say.
31. Number of keys on your key ring? 8.
32. How many years at your current job? 15, God help me.
33. Favorite day of the week? Saturdays and Sundays.
34. How many states have you lived in? 1.
35. Do you think you're funny? Sometimes.

There are more questions, but I'm out of answers. Have a good night!

Tuesday turnaround

Hard day at work yesterday. It was busy, and my get-up-and-go got up and went a few days ago. I came home, flopped into my easy chair, and stayed put the rest of the night until bedtime. It will take a few days until I'm firing on all cylinders.

And I don't feel well this morning. I took some Advil and my diabetes meds so I'm hoping a turnaround is in order in the next few minutes. I'd like to crawl back in bed and sleep a few more hours. Well, I can do that this evening.

It's time to get ready for work. I hope you have a good day. Talk to you later, I hope.

Sunday

My house is a pit. I haven't felt able to clean it for two weeks. I wonder if I could just gather a few belongings and move somewhere else. Surely the new owners would dig out the clutter.

Still not well, but much better. I'm looking forward to work tomorrow -- not because I've fallen back in love with my job, but because I will be out in the world instead of huddled in this house.

Will spring ever come? I'm ready for sun and lots of it.

I sure appreciated everyone's prayers and comments of concern. They lifted my spirits during some particularly uncomfortable days. Thank you.

I added a new blog to the Blogs of Interest: Kristen's Now Or Never. Kristen is into yoga, tofu, libraries, Sudoku, marching bands, and many, many other nifty things. In other words, she's very cool. Check out her blog.

And now I'm going to go to bed. But here is an excerpt from Darkness, Oklahoma.

From Darkness, Oklahoma

What August Wicker hadn't told the others was that the man had said that the vampire would kill the Bone Queen. The man had said that Substance had Chosen August Wicker. Chosen?! A vampire?!

Even as injured as he had been, August had tried to argue. But the man insisted. "Substance Chose you for this task, and you will accomplish it," the man said before giving August other bag of healing blood. The man left soon after, leaving August with only a blurred impression of a tall man and the scent of a human.

But this was one time that Substance would be disappointed, August vowed silently. The Queen was a major power. She was stronger, faster, and more powerful than a vampire could ever be. In the ancient battle, she had been one of Void's mightiest warriors. She would crush August easily.

August sighed and shook his head. He would miss Darkness. This small Oklahoma town had given him a good life, but all things end. Nothing lasts forever.

And perhaps that also applied to vampires? August paused in his packing. How long did he intend to live? When would the years hang so heavy on his shoulders that he would be crushed? If he still believed he was young, why had he chosen the persona of August Wicker, an elderly librarian? He had told himself that he would attract less attention, but was that real reason?

In his long life, he had killed and tortured men and women. As a sup to his conscience, he had never killed children, but hadn't he left many as orphans? And in centuries past, that was often a death sentence. He could claim no great mercies in his life. He was what he was. He had chosen this life when confronted by death and passed over beyond death's domain. As long as he was wise.

So now he would run. Run into the shadows of another city or a new country. Carve a new territory, perhaps by displacing another vampire in a bloody war. He didn't want to do it, but he wasn't going to die. He would not pass into judgment. Darkness, Oklahoma was doomed, its inhabitants already dead. What did he care? In a hundred years, he would not remember their names.

Yet he sat on his bed for a long time, watching the shadows lengthen as regret curled around his bitter heart.

Copyright 2008 by Stephen B. Bagley. All rights reserved.

Better

I'm better. Not well, but much better. Still coughing, but able to keep food and liquid down on my own. And my temp has been normal all day. So I think I've finally turned the corner. I'm going to try to go to work Monday. Things are looking up.

Being sick has sort of blown my Murder by the Acre schedule to pieces. But I can still put it out this year, probably close to when I wanted to. I'm not going to stress out about time lost. Things happen. All you can do is pick yourself up and forge on forward. And that's what I'm going to do.

And now I'm going to call it a night and go to bed. Yeah, I haven't done anything, but I'm still tired. Go figure. I hope that you're well and that life is treating you like it should. Hope to talk to you tomorrow. Night!